


Ice Skating

by delicious-irony (deliciousirony)



Series: SPN Writing Prompt Challenge [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe- No Supernatural, Cunning Plans, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Holding Hands, Ice Skating, M/M, Supernatural Writing Challenge, Supernatural Writing Challenge January 2016
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-01
Updated: 2016-02-01
Packaged: 2018-05-17 15:07:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5875513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deliciousirony/pseuds/delicious-irony
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Castiel has a cunning plan: he has taken ice skating lessons, and now he is going to take Dean ice skating. Dean has never done that, so it stands to reason that Castiel might have to lend him a helping hand...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ice Skating

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the January 2016 SPN Writing Challenge; the prompt was "fear".
> 
>   _This hasn’t been beta’ed yet, but a very kind soul has agreed to do so, so hopefully I’ll get around to polishing this in the near future._
> 
>  
> 
> [Find this story on Tumblr](http://delicious-irony.tumblr.com/post/138471578208/ice-skating)  
> [Find me on Tumblr](http://delicious-irony.tumblr.com)
> 
>  **[SPN Writing Challenge](http://spnwritingchallenge.tumblr.com)** | **[delicious-irony](delicious-irony.tumblr.com)** vs. **[poetryandoldermen](poetryandoldermen.tumblr.com)**  
>  **prompt:** fear  
> 

“Um, Cas, do you really think that’s a good idea?” Dean eyed the shiny expanse of the ice rink before them with apprehension. “That’s hard, and cold, and slippy as fuck.”

Castiel grinned. He rarely got to see 'fazed Dean' - his best friend usually made a point of being very much unfazed by everything. Dean allowing himself to be seen _this_ way when he was with him always made Castiel feel as if his heart had turned into fresh cotton candy: fuzzy fluffs of still slightly warm sugar, ready to melt. However, Dean seemed almost afraid, and he wobbled pitifully on the borrowed skates.

“Don’t worry, Dean, maybe the little girls over there who are practicing figure skating will lend you one of those cushions to protect you from hurting your backside”, Castiel smiled. 

Dean looked over, saw the huge, cartoon-like bottom-cushions, and shot Castiel such a withering look he apparently almost forgot his fear for a second. Castiel just laughed, stepped onto the ice, and took off in a graceful circle, switching between skating forward and in reverse. He might be showing off a little - pointlessly, sadly - but Dean was good in enough sports, and Castiel had been at the rink every week since it had opened. He had even taken a course. His reason was not all that much of a noble one though - he had been planning this for months now.

Dean shuffled forward and gingerly placed first one foot on the ice, then the other. He took a step and Castiel could see in slow-motion how he was slowly dipping backwards. Dean’s arms were flailing around wildly before he somehow managed to half-rescue himself by grabbing onto the boards. Castiel shot over to Dean and grabbed his other arm to pull him upright again. His chance! The chance he’d been waiting for! Castiel tried to school his expression into one of concern. 

“Great friend you are”, Dean muttered. “Dragging me here and almost letting me die.”

Castiel laughed, giddy with excitement.

“And now you’re laughing at me. Schadenfreude much, Cas? Did I piss you off or something?”

Dean’s eyes were twinkling with merriment though, so Castiel figured Dean's feelings were not as dire as his words made it seem. Deciding that this was the moment, _now or never_ , he offered Dean his hand. 

“There, come on, I’ll help you around”, he said, proud that his voice did not give away his nervousness. The slight trembling of his hand, however, still might, but he forced himself to keep looking at Dean. Developing a sudden interest in the floor would be odd for him. Dean gave him a probing stare, but then he smiled and took his hand. Castiel sighed with relief.

“So, what are we gonna do now?” Dean asked, a small smile playing along his lips.

“Take a turn?” Castiel offered. “We’ll stay close to the side.”

“And I’m getting to hold your hand all that time?” 

Castiel blushed furiously and now he did look away. 

“You don’t have to”, he said silently. “I was just thinking it might help.”

“Nah, gives me security. Makes me think I’ll get off that damn ice alive”, Dean said. He was joking, Castiel knew that, but still, his blush went from ripening-tomato to lobster-with-a-sunburn in two seconds flat. When Castiel looked up again, there was a broad, warm smile on Dean's face, and his eyes looked the brightest Castiel had ever seen them.

He came to the conclusion that _now_ might be a good point to start moving before he did something horrendously stupid like lean in and kiss Dean. He shrugged and carefully pulled Dean with him. He went easily enough.

They made their way around the rink, slowly and not very elegantly, with Dean tripping up a couple of times and ending up half-leaning on Castiel. Not that Castiel minded in the least. His plan had worked better than he had even dared to dream.

When their fifth round took them back to the entrance, Dean pointed to the middle of the rink. A couple of toys, like a parkour, were set up there, and when Dean expressed his interest in taking a closer look, Castiel was only too happy to comply. Dean had been catching on surprisingly fast, but maybe Castiel just was a brilliant teacher. He had explained and carefully shown Dean how to glide on the ice - _“Trying to walk like on a normal floor isn’t going to work, Dean.”_ \- and Dean’s movements already were a touch more coordinated. So stepping up the difficulty was a good idea in his book - he’d do anything to extend the time during which he would get to hold Dean’s hand.

They abandoned the boards and were already getting close to the centre, when a group of rowdy kids playing catch shoved past them. Feeling his balance slip, he cried out and tried to steady Dean and himself at the same time, but to no avail. He’d been down on the ice plenty of times before when he had first started learning, but against expectations, Dean had managed to stay on his feet so far. Castiel had done his best to keep things this way so Dean would have as good a first impression as possible. He knew that soon he wouldn’t get to hold Dean’s hand anymore, but he had hoped that ice skating or skating could become a hobby and a sport they shared - Castiel didn’t do any of the other sports Dean did. He prayed that being knocked over by a bunch of first-graders wasn’t going to hurt Dean’s ego so much that he decided that today was nice, but no thanks.

Suddenly, two strong arms caught him, spun him out of the way, and caught him again. 

“You ok?” 

When he looked up, Dean was holding him tight, concern in his eyes. 

Castiel felt his jaw drop. Dean apparently noticed, because he let go of him, steading Castiel with a security that belied years of practice.

“You… you…”, Castiel’s dexterity with words failed him.

Dean blushed and looked at him sheepishly. There was no wobbling or shuffling or awkward intents of walking on the ice. Dean’s movements when he had pulled back and put some space between them had been smooth, coordinated, and full of confidence.

Castiel felt his stomach drop and his cheeks heat up when he remembered how he had shown Dean how to glide half an hour ago. Oh god, and he had practically made Dean hold his hand. 

“Was this… a joke? Are you making fun of me?” he asked, his voice annoyingly small. 

Dean’s eyes shot up to his. He looked shocked.

“What? No! I…” 

Castiel felt betrayed, and hurt, and he didn’t even know why. Maybe because he had fooled himself into thinking that Dean might actually enjoy holding his hand. He could cry. Maybe later, at home, in his bed, with a blanket over his head, he would. If from embarrassment or crushed hopes, he couldn’t say yet.

“So what, you thought let’s pretend to have no idea how to do this, just for the fun of it?” Castiel scoffed. 

Dean blushed again. 

“That’s not it, Cas…-”

“How long have you been ice skating?” Castiel cut him short.

Dean’s face fell a little.

“A couple of years. I was in the ice hockey club at school.”

“Middle school? High school?”

Dean looked away, he couldn’t seem to hold Castiel’s eyes any longer.

“Both.”

“Dean, why didn’t you say anything? What the _hell_ are you playing at? Give me something, because I’m grabbing at straws here”, Cas growled. His embarrassment was transitioning into anger fast. “I am having a very hard time coming up with a reason for this! I told you I got bullied by the jocks at school, and this now starts feeling eerily familiar - you flinched! Did I hit a nerve? You see, I just can’t imagine what you’re getting out of this! I thought we were friends…-“

“I just wanted to hold your hand!” Dean practically bellowed, loud enough for people to give him weird looks. He was looking miserable.

“Wh-What?” Cas croaked. He must have misunderstood.

Dean shrugged.

“When you suggested we could go ice-skating, I just thought… I’ve been wanting… I… I really just wanted to hold your hand. I know you… don’t swing this way, so… It just seemed like such a great chance! Just to… I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable, but I guess I’ve done that now anyway”, Dean said silently, his eyes never meeting Castiel’s. “I didn’t mean to lie to you.”

Castiel was staring at Dean and couldn’t stop, let alone say anything. This couldn’t possibly be true, could it? Could Dean actually like him? Like, like-like him? This way? And he wanted to hold hands and… Dean could have been showing off the entire evening, but he hadn't. Instead Dean had waddled along, holding Castiel's hand like it was the single most important thing he’d ever done. 

Dean deflated.

“Right, yeah, I get it. I’m sorry. I guess I’ll just… yeah.”

Dean turned and with two fluid strokes he was already half-way back to the entrance, and Castiel could only stare at just how fluid his movements really were. He was weaving through the people as if they were barely there.

That’s when his brain caught up with him. _Shit_.

“Dean! Dean, wait!” he shouted at the top of his lungs, kicking into motion. He did his best to catch up with Dean, but Dean was _fast_ , and now there were all the other skaters between them. He was so focused on getting to Dean that he didn’t notice the rowdy kids from before shooting past him again. He cursed as he ended up spinning around wildly the second time that evening, trying to somehow keep his balance.

And again, he was saved by two arms catching him, but this time releasing him again as soon as he was standing reasonably straight. Dean. Of course. As soon as Dean was sure Castiel was not going to topple over, he turned around again, ready to leave.

“Dean, wait”, Castiel begged. “I’m sorry. I… I had no idea. I’m sorry I assumed the worst, that I went off on such a tangent, when I’ve known you for years, and when I know that I should know better.”

“It’s ok, Cas”, he said. Dean had stopped, but he didn’t turn around. He just shrugged, clearly about to take off again.

“No, it’s not”, Castiel said. “Especially since I… kind of did the same thing.”

“What?” 

Now Dean did turn around and look at him. Castiel sighed with relief. He had never before realised how much he needed Dean’s eyes on his.

“Um, I took a course. So I could…” Castiel cleared his throat. He hoped his face wasn’t as red as it felt. 

Dean was floating closer again.

“So you could what, Cas?” 

“I thought you didn’t know how to skate. But I said I wanted to go anyway. I… I was hoping… Everything was working out so well!” Castiel huffed in frustration. Now he had a hard time looking at Dean. Great. The most important friendship in his life, most likely ruined.

“Cas… Look at me.”

When Castiel slowly looked up, Dean was smiling. A careful, hopeful smile.

“I told you why I didn’t tell you that I know how to skate. Tell me why you wanted to go skating if you thought I didn’t know how.”

Castiel blinked. Because… right. The smile that spread over his face mirrored Dean’s.

“I had hoped you might feel the need to hold my hand”, he said in a rush.

Dean’s face lit up and he grinned.

“You know, I still feel the need to hold you hand. Have been feeling that need for a long time now”, he said. Then he winked. “Amongst other… _needs_.”

Castiel couldn’t help the delighted laughter that was bubbling out of him, and apparently neither could Dean. Maybe a little more shyly than he would have liked, Castiel held out his hand to Dean again. Dean looked at him as if he was offering him the entire bowl of candy at Halloween. He carefully took it, his eyes never leaving Castiel’s, as if doubting that he was really allowed. Castiel wanted to reassure Dean, tell him he could hold his hand forever, if he wanted, but he was past words. So he did what he had been wanting to do the entire evening, and kissed Dean.

Afterwards, they continued skating, still holding hands, but this time Dean was taking care of Cas. When he wasn’t showing off. 

In the evening, when they were snuggled up together in one of their beds in their dorm room, Castiel leant over, and whispered into Dean’s ear, smiling when he could feel Dean tremble where his lips were almost brushing his skin.

“You know, the only part of my plan that didn’t work is the one where we fall over and you land on top of me.”

Dean giggled, and suddenly Castiel found himself on his back with Dean on top of him. 

“Tell me more about your plans,” Dean said in his most seductive voice, upon which both of them burst out laughing, which did funny things to how they were lying on top of each other, and then there was very little talking until they fell asleep, huddled against each other as closely as they possibly could.

**Author's Note:**

> I also have a small art blog, delicirony.tumblr.com \- my art tag is #delicirony. If you’d like to have a look, you can find [my artsy stuff on AO3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/deliciousirony/pseuds/delicirony) too.


End file.
